Grant Murray has won the 2016 Peter F. Heering Classics Challenge after the Global Final with his modern classic cocktail ‘Brace Position’.

Contestants from 46 countries participated in the competition, with a global jury selecting just one winner from each. The top ten semi-finalists were then flown to London where they competed in a live challenge, and whittled down to the top five.

The five global finalists were tasked with creating an inspired modern classic cocktail, heroing Cherry Heering. Contestants presented their cocktails and philosophies behind the drinks at a live event at the Joyeux Brodel London.

The five finalists that battled it out during London’s Cocktail Week were:

Of the competition, Adéle Robberstad, CEO Peter F. Heering, stated, “The passion, commitment and sharing of talent using the Heering brand in his competition is now our present day history that makes us as proud as the day the Heering brand was created, almost 200 years ago.”

You can view all 46 global finalists presenting their cocktails in a series of YouTube videos here.

INVERNESS bartender Grant Murray has come out on top from a field of thousands at London Cocktail Week, picking up the Peter F. Heering Classics cocktail title for 2016.

Murray, who is general manager of Scotch & Rye and Bar One, impressed judges first in a semi-final of ten bartenders at the private bar of Simon Difford, founder of the mixology-focused Difford’s Guide, before clinching the title at the grand final held in the Joyeux Bordel Bar in Shoreditch, London.

Over 2500 bartenders from across the globe are said to have entered the competition, which called for a modern Cherry Heering twist on a classic cocktail.

Murray described taking the top spot as a “surreal and incredible” experience.

“I was amongst some of the world’s very best bartenders that week, mingling with people I have looked up to all of my career,” he said.

“It’s a major milestone for me.

“It was an incredible fantastic experience. I think it is incredible for me, it’s incredible for the bars I look after and it’s incredible for Inverness.”

Thirty-year-old Grant Murray has just returned from London where he won the prestigious Cherry Heering Classic Cocktail challenge 2016 title.

Grant, who lives in the Lochardil area, is the general manager of two popular Inverness bars, Scotch and Rye and Bar One – founded by his brother Scott – both of which have established themselves as leading movers and shakers on the city cocktail scene.

To win the title, Grant shook his way to victory against an incredible 2582 competitors from 46 different countries with his cocktail called “Brace Position” which contains a tantalising mix of Ardbeg 10 whisky, Botanist gin, Creme de Violet, Cherry Heering, lime juice and sugar syrup. The competition narrowed down to one competitor from each country taking part in the selection process and this was whittled down further to 10 people being flown to London for the semi-final with five going through to the final.

This was held in the Joyeux Bordel Bar in London’s Shoreditch last Thursday morning where Grant showed the best of the cocktail world that he is the number one.

Grant described the experience as surreal and said he still found it hard to take in that he was a world champion from Inverness.

“It is a major milestone for me,” he said. “It was an absolutely fantastic experience. I think it is incredible for me, its incredible for the bars I look after and its incredible for Inverness.

“It has been a mission of mine for the last few years and it is the biggest accolade I have ever received for my work. It is still hard to take in.”

And, he added: “I am so blown away, and unbelievably chuffed. I worked really hard for this and had so much fun doing so. I want to say a massive thank you to everyone for supporting me so incredibly.

“Thank you to my wife Faye and my beautiful little girl Evie for letting me leave them alone while they’re not well to go and do this, and being so incredibly supportive throughout.

“I was up against some great people and some brilliant bartending talent.”

He also paid tribute to his competitors who made it to the last 10, saying it has been great to hang out and work with them.

“I love this industry, everyone has been so amazing,” he said. “I truly have made some new friends this week and have learned so much from this experience.”

October — 2016 (London, England) — The Aviation is the classic choice. Grant Murray from UK and his modern classic cocktail the “Brace Position” has answered the challenge and has been named the winner of the 2016 Peter F. Heering® Classics. 10 global bar star semifinalists were flown to London, England and shook things up during the famed London Cocktail Week

10 Global Semi-Finalists to the Final Five

Five global finalists from the 2016 Peter F. Heering® Classics were announced last week during London Cocktail Week festivities. The final five global finalists created an inspired modern classic cocktail with CHERRY HEERING® and presented their modern classic and philosophy behind at the finale event at Joyeux Bordel London.

“The 2016 Peter F. Heering Classics inspired the Heering brand itself in a way that is more than special”, said Adéle Robberstad, CEO Peter F. Heering “the passion, commitment and sharing of talent using the Heering brand in his competition is now our present day history that makes us as proud as the day the Heering brand was created, almost 200 years ago.”

Pita Dixon I Australia I “The Right Way”

Andrew Schneider I Canada I “Mount Pleasant”

Dawid Guzik I Luxembourg I “Secret Clover”

Laura Walker I New Zealand I “Blood from a Stone”

Grant Murray I UK I “Brace Position”

The 2016 Peter F. Heering® Classics finalists were selected by a global jury comprised of Simon Difford – one of the worlds most renowned and respected drinks experts, David Wondrich, James Beard Award Winner for his book Imbibe! and founding partner on Beverage Alcohol Resource, the United States leading training program for bartenders and other mixologists, Din Hassan, a veteran from the Singapore nightlife industry, Hamish Smith, a multi-award winning drinks journalist at Drinks InternationalMagazine, Lauren Mote, Co-proprietor of Bittered Sling, a wildly successful line of high quality small batch cocktail and culinary bitters and Charlene Dawes, Managing Director and Owner of Tastings Group Limited.

The Peter F. Heering® Classics tapped the best bar talent in the world to re-write cocktail history by creating their version of a classic cocktail.

THE 2016 PETER F. HEERING® CLASSICS, 46 GLOBAL FINALISTS AND THEIR MODERN CLASSICS.